A Stranger in Terabithia
by abeatticus
Summary: Jesse and Leslie are now in high school. They return to Terabithia after a long absence. What will they find in their old kingdom? Will they still feel the magic?
1. Chapter 1

A Stranger in Terabithia

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Disclaimer-I do not own any rights to the book _Bridge to Terabithia_

A Stranger in Terabithia

Jesse and Leslie both dreaded and looked forward to the new school year. Dreaded because it meant a return to early mornings, long days, homework and of course the idiots, sociopaths and other degenerates that made high school so pleasant. Of course things were a bit different now then they were five years ago when they first met in the fifth grade. They were juniors in high school and Jesse had "inherited" his dad's truck when the family got a new one. Both were stars on the cross-country team, both were academically excelling (though Jesse was a bit behind Leslie in several areas) but most importantly they had finally, as Jesse's father put it "gotten over themselves" and expressed their real feelings for each other. Up to that pivotal moment they both dated other people as they traversed the rocky road of adolescence. They noticed how their friendship was tested with each relationship. Surprisingly, it was Jesse's little sister Maybelle that helped them realize they were just torturing themselves.

"Would you two just stop it!" she said one evening as Jesse and Leslie were arguing…again. "Maybelle, this is none…" Jesse tried to say before being cut off.

"Just admit that you guys love each other and be done with it. You've been in love practically since the day you met. Everybody seems to know but you two." As Maybelle left the room the two looked at each other in silence for a few moments. Finally unable to stand it any longer Leslie broke the silence.

"Jesse…she's right, about me I mean. I…I do love you Jesse. I'm tired of holding it in and I can't handle fighting with you anymore over our dating situation." Leslie felt both relief and dread as she looked into Jesse's eyes. She didn't know what to think as he was just staring at her. Suddenly Jesse moved closer to her. He gently placed his hands on her waist and kissed her. Leslie, though somewhat startled eagerly returned the kiss. Finally drawing apart Jesse looked into Leslie's emerald green eyes and smiled.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time, too long. I love you Leslie. I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner." As he continued to look into her eyes he saw them mist over. "I wish I had said it sooner too. It doesn't matter now, we've both said it. Now kiss me again."

On their first day back at Lark Creek High School Jesse and Leslie walked the familiar hallways to their first class, which luckily they had together. After taking their seats Jesse and Leslie stared at their American history teacher then turned to each other.

"He talks to himself, that can't be good" Jesse said. Leslie smiled but had a different opinion. "I suppose you've never talked to yourself Jesse Aarons?" she said as she looked back at her teacher. Mr. Allen was one of Lark Creek's newer teachers. He was generally well regarded by both faculty and students. Before becoming a teacher he tried making a career of the Army. After one deployment too many and a divorce he called it quits. Nobody knew why he settled in Lark Creek, he wasn't from the area and it wasn't exactly a garden spot. Of course compared to Iraq it probably wasn't so bad after all.

"Good morning everyone," he said enthusiastically. "I can tell you're all thrilled to be here from those big, wonderful smiles" he said sarcastically. Only Leslie was smiling but that wasn't unusual. Leslie scanned the room and was surprised to see Paul O'Donnell sitting on the other side of her. She met Paul back in their freshman year when they had a couple classes together. It took her over a month to get him to speak but once she did he opened up. It wasn't a dramatic transformation like Jesse a few years earlier but it was a move in the right direction. Jesse teased her relentlessly, "I thought you said I was enough work to last you a lifetime" to which Leslie countered, "Well, you've begun to bore me so I'm trying to find new inspiration" She always had a snappy comeback to make Jesse feel stupid when he tried teasing her.

Leslie looked over at Paul and said hi to which Paul responded. If anything Paul O'Donnell was consistent. He never missed class and pretty much dressed the same from year to year. Believe it or not he had a reputation. However it wasn't the kind of notoriety anyone would want. For bullies to exist there must be those that will be bullied. Paul O'Donnell was a favorite target of bullies. Jesse and Leslie could both relate but they agreed that what Paul went through was worse than anything they endured in their day. Over time Scott Hoager and Gary Fulcher faded from the world of Jesse and Leslie. Oh they were still at school but Jesse wasn't so small anymore nor was he afraid. Nor was Leslie for that matter. In fact it was Leslie that broke Scott's nose back in their freshman year. Since then their high school existence improved dramatically. Paul wasn't as lucky. For one thing he had no allies. There was no "Leslie" in his world at least not anymore. Paul had a best friend once much like Leslie had Jesse. Her name was Sarah Bradford. Leslie didn't know the story behind what happened but Sarah didn't seem to hang out with Paul anymore. She never felt comfortable asking him and doubted he would talk about her anyway. That left Paul a party of one. Being a loner in high school was like being a loner in prison. They were easy prey for a group of bullies.

As the day wore on Jesse and Leslie met up again before their last class. As it turned out Mr. Allen was the best teacher either one of them had outside of their cross country coach whom they knew since the 9th grade. "He's not so bad, kinda funny actually. Best of all, no homework today" Jesse said as they made their way to the gym.

"See, talking to your self isn't always a bad thing. He actually seems to know what he's talking about too. My Trigonometry teacher is questionable. She seems oblivious to the fact that not everybody understands the stuff as easy as she does" she said as they came to the gym. "Mrs. Adams?" Jesse asked, opening the door for Leslie. "Yeah, you have her too?" Jesse let out a laugh. "You kiddin', I'm not taking Trigonometry. I've heard of her though. She actually used to teach over at the elementary school years ago. I think she moved to the high school the year you moved here." Leslie couldn't fathom Mrs. Adams teaching fifth or sixth graders or anyone for that matter. As they walked into the gym the two parted to their separate locker rooms.

Over the next few weeks Jesse and Leslie readjusted to school life and both found themselves quite busy between homework and cross country. Leslie was taking several advanced classes which took up a considerable amount of her time in the evening. Jesse was becoming irritated at not being able to see her more often. "Jesse I'm sorry but these classes really pile on the homework. I have to do it." Though he knew she was right he wasn't happy about it.

"You've been missing our morning runs Les. That's one of our best times together." Leslie felt terrible about missing their morning runs. She was just too tired to get up any earlier than necessary. "I know Jesse don't you think I miss our runs too? I'm just too tired." She said as she laid her head on his chest. She knew Jesse couldn't resist whenever she was affectionate. He hugged her and kissed her forehead and apologized for not being understanding.

'Works every time' she thought to herself.

In spite of their hectic schedules the two managed to squeeze in some time alone. One Friday evening as they lounged on Jesse's couch and watched TV Leslie thought of place she had nearly forgotten about. "Jesse, do you ever think about Terabithia?" she asked. Jesse looked down at Leslie who was resting her head on his shoulder. "Well, yeah sometimes I guess" he answered. "Why?" Leslie pushed herself up so she could look her boyfriend in the eyes. "It used to be so important to us and right now I can't remember the last time we were there" Jesse tried to think back to when they last made the journey across the creek. He was surprised that he couldn't remember either. "I can't remember either" he answered. "But it's been a while at least a year" Jesse looked over at Leslie and could see she was still trying to remember. "It's probably more like two years" she finally said. "Jesse, let's go tomorrow" Jesse was caught off guard by her sudden burst of enthusiasm. "To Terabithia?" he asked. Leslie eagerly nodded. "Well, okay"


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer-I do not own any rights to the story _Bridge to Terabithia_

_Thank you for the reviews! This chapter starts to give a bit more background on Paul and introduces a character that will have more prominence later._

_Please read & review_

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Chapter 2

Jesse and Leslie approached the old rope swing for the first time in years. Neither one could remember when exactly they last visited Terabithia. Instinctively Leslie looked around for a stick to grab the old rope with and surprisingly found one where they had always left the stick years before. As she reached out to grab the rope Jesse carefully pulled her away from the edge.

"I love you to Jesse but we can't go across together" Leslie said with a smile. "I…I don't think we should swing across" he said nervously. He wasn't sure why but something about the rope felt wrong. "Oh come on Jesse you said we were going to go" Leslie protested. Not letting go of her Jesse voiced his concerns. "We are but let's use that fallen tree over there to get across" he said pointing to a dead tree that had fallen years ago.

"Jesse we have to use the enchanted rope remember?" she said teasingly. Jesse was growing frustrated. "Leslie please" he pleaded. Hearing the concern in his voice Leslie decided not to push the issue. It took a bit of the fun out of the experience but she didn't want to upset her boyfriend. At times he would become overly protective as though something was actually going to happen. She was touched by his sincerity but confused by the intensity of his concerns.

Crossing into their kingdom a wave of nostalgia swept over them as the scent of the forest overwhelmed them. "Wow, it seems so…surreal" Leslie said in astonishment. "Yeah…what does surreal mean?" Leslie gave him a light punch to the arm, "You know what it means Jesse" she said a little irritated. Jesse just smiled, "No I don't I'm the artist remember? You're the writer" Leslie sighed in frustration. "It means something is strange or odd or like you're in a dream" Jesse had to agree it did feel like being in a dream. To be back in the place that used to be their sanctuary, where they ruled as king and queen and had endless hours of adventure felt both odd and comforting.

"Come on let's go to the tree house" Leslie said taking off. It took Jesse a moment to realize his girlfriend was gone while he pondered how things had changed since his first visit to Terabithia. Once he realized she was gone he felt a brief moment of panic then took off in the direction of the tree house. He came upon her as she was staring at the old, dilapidated truck. "Les," he said catching his breath. "Don't take off like that" Leslie didn't seem to hear him. She seemed transfixed by the old wreck. "It looks worse than I remember" Jesse said as he peered into the cab. "Yeah, feels kinda' sad for some reason" she replied. "I feel like I neglected a friend" As long as he had known Leslie Burke she never ceased to surprise him with her bizarre statements.

"Les, it's a truck" he said. "An old, broken down truck at that" Again Leslie didn't seem to hear him but instead began heading towards the tree house. The area seemed more overgrown than they remembered it being. They still knew exactly where to go but it seemed different. Suddenly, as if stumbling upon a long lost treasure they found it. It was still there high above Terabithia. Well, it wasn't that high actually. In fact it seemed remarkably small compared to what they remembered. From what they could see it appeared as if it was still in tact in that nothing appeared to have fallen or broken off. There was one significant change though. "What's draped over the top?" Jesse asked noting the olive drab "blanket" stretched over the roof.

"I don't know looks like a tarp" Leslie answered. "Let's take a look" she said as she dashed up the tree leaving Jesse behind once again. As he played catch up he found that climbing the tree was both easier and harder than when they built the castle. Though physically stronger it felt as though tree climbing was something they no longer had the ability to do. Just as they no longer could see the kingdom of Terabithia they no longer had the abilities either. Racing up the tree Jesse paid little attention to the fact that Leslie had stopped and proceeded to smash directly into her.

"Hey, watch it!" she screamed. It was a question of who was more embarrassed, Jesse or Leslie. Not wanting to discuss it Jesse quickly apologized. "What's the hold up Les?" he asked. Leslie appeared to be a little hesitant to step onto the porch of the tree house. "Well, we're not exactly "little" anymore Jesse. I don't know if this thing can support us" Jesse hadn't thought of that and didn't want Leslie being the one to test the theory.

"Hold up Les let me try it first" he said as he maneuvered his way around her. Jesse carefully placed one foot on the porch and it felt solid enough to him to support his whole weight. "It's okay Les, come on up" he said as he extended his hand to her. Jesse practically pulled Leslie up the rest of the way and right smack into him. Leslie collided into him but Jesse grabbed hold of her ensuring she wouldn't fall. Suddenly they were quite cozy together.

"Did you plan it that way Mr. Aarons" Leslie asked with a grin. "No, but for once I'm glad I messed up" he said as he leaned into to kiss her. The couple enjoyed a moment together before they took in their surroundings. "I can't believe it's been so long since we were last here Jesse" Leslie said as she looked around their kingdom.

"Yeah, I never thought we'd outgrow it" he said with a hint of regret. Leslie picked up on his moment of nostalgia. "We didn't really outgrow it Jesse" she said. "Well, maybe physically we did but I think we still have the magic inside us" Jesse wasn't exactly sure what Leslie meant but he wanted to believe it. "After all you're still drawing and painting as much, if not more, than when I first met you. I'm still writing into the wee hours of the morning sometimes. I think are imaginations are fine Jesse we just use them a little differently now" Jesse seemed to appreciate her answer as they both stood still marveling in awe at their kingdom.

"Hey, you think there are any Oreo's left?" Leslie asked. Jesse gave her his "are you out of your mind" look. "If you eat anything inside that tree house I swear I'm never kissing you again" he said as he over emphasized his disgust. Leslie just laughed. "Yeah, right" she countered quickly. "Even if I did eat something, which I wouldn't by the way, you'd still kiss me" she said as she walked into the tree house. Jessed stood there for a moment then answered, "Yeah, you're probably right"

As Jesse was about to turn he heard Leslie scream. It sent shivers down his spine as he quickly made his way inside. "Leslie! Are you…" suddenly Jesse realized that they weren't alone in their fortress. Jesse grabbed Leslie and looked over to see Paul O'Donnell sitting against the far wall. "Paul?" Jesse asked a bit irritated. "What're you doing here?" To say Paul looked uncomfortable was an understatement. He looked to both of his classmates, "Sorry for scaring you Leslie" he said apologetically. "I'm sorry Jesse I didn't know this was your tree house" Just as Jesse was about to say something Leslie beat him to it.

"It's okay Paul, why didn't you say something when you heard us outside?" she asked. Paul looked away for a moment, "Well, I was kinda' hoping you'd just go away" he said quietly. "Besides if I had just stuck my head out and said 'hey Leslie' both of you would've probably fallen right off this tree" Leslie thought about that and figured he was probably right. Just then she noticed a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. Actually the right side of his jaw was red and puffy. "Paul, what happened?" she asked though she knew the likely answer.

"It was Brady Hicks wasn't it" Jesse asked. Brady Hicks was among the "elite" as far as high school popularity goes. He was a star football player and wrestler which meant he was a fairly big guy at least compared to Paul. Brady was handsome and actually quite charming when he wanted to be. Many of the teachers and faculty liked him. To them he seemed a very amiable young man. To Paul and a few others he was one giant jack-ass. Paul had suffered at Brady's hands at least for the past year. Jesse wasn't sure why but he thought it had something to do with Sarah, Paul's old friend.

"Yeah, it was Brady" Paul said as he played with an old paint brush he found on the floor. "He gave me a quick 'pop' just to let me know he's thinking about me. Sweet guy, really" he said sarcastically. Paul looked over to Leslie and could see discomfort all over her face. Once she realized he noticed Leslie darted out of the tree house. Jesse just stood there startled wondering what was going on. He looked at Paul in confusion. "She went that way Jesse" he said as he pointed at the door. Jesse did a double take then walked through the door and found that Leslie was already on the ground. "Hey Les, what's wrong" he yelled. Leslie didn't look his way or give an answer. He made his way down the tree as quickly as he could. "Les, wait up" he yelled as he ran after her. Once he caught up to her he pleaded with her to slow down which she finally did. As he caught his breath he noticed Paul not far behind him.

"Les what's going on? Are you feeling okay?" he asked concerned. Leslie knew he was just looking out for her but she wasn't in the mood to discuss anything right now. "Not now Jesse okay?" she said under her breath. Jesse picked up on the hint and dropped the subject.

"Is everything okay" Paul asked as he came upon the two. Jesse answered quickly so Leslie wouldn't have to. "Yeah, Leslie just feels a little sick. I'm going to walk her home." Paul nodded his head, "Oh, okay. Sorry you feel bad Leslie. I guess I'll see you guys later" he said as he headed off in the direction of the bridge. All the questions Jesse had for Paul about how he found Terabithia would have to wait. Leslie was his only focus right now.

"Paul?" Leslie suddenly called out. The boy was already out of sight. She took off at a sprint leaving Jesse perplexed for the umpteenth time in one day. "She really needs to stop doing that" Jesse said as he sighed to himself before taking off after her.

Paul was just about to the bridge when he heard Leslie call after him. He turned and saw her running after him. He stopped and began to head towards her then saw Jesse not far behind. "You okay Leslie?" he asked. She stopped to catch her breath before responding. "Why does Brady pick on you Paul?" she asked. The question didn't really catch Paul off guard he knew she had wanted to ask him for some time. There was no harm in telling her or Jesse. "Well, originally because of Sarah" he answered. "When she dated Brady he took an active interest in me. He was jealous of my friendship with her…which just proves how stupid he really is" Paul was clearly angry at the memory of the event. "I mean he's her boyfriend for crying out loud and he was jealous of me? I swear I can't believe he's actually going to graduate." Paul closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories" Leslie apologized. Paul shook his head, "its okay, no worries. Anyway, he started bullying me and just never stopped. Even after Sarah broke up with him he still kept at me. Personally, my theory is that he actually likes me and this is his way of showing affection" he joked. Leslie gave a weak smile then seemed to want to ask another question. "Go ahead Leslie, you can ask" he said giving her the go ahead.

"What happened between you and Sarah?" It was the question she always wondered about. Paul and Sarah were eerily similar to her and Jesse. They met around the same age and were best friends. She didn't know if they had a place like Terabithia but imagined the pair had their own adventures when they were kids.

The only difference was they never became a couple. Though Paul developed feelings for her Sarah didn't feel the same towards him. It was obvious Paul missed his friend but she had no idea how Sarah felt. Leslie couldn't imagine suddenly being without Jesse. It was frightening. .

"I guess you could just say she got popular and…I didn't" he said as he stared off into the distance. "Sarah always had other friends but it seemed she suddenly had a lot more friends. Then of course the boyfriends and all the school activities and well…"

"You got pushed to the side" Jesse said finishing his sentence.

"Yeah, I fell to the bottom of the list" he said as he seemed to be remembering every detail of the event. "Well, I developed an 'attitude' of sorts. I didn't really like being treated like some relative you only tolerate at Christmas time" Both Jesse and Leslie moved closer to one another and grabbed each others hand as if somehow the story would affect their relationship. "I confronted Sarah one day after last period. I wanted to know why she wasn't returning my calls or answering my emails. That was a bad idea" he said shaking his head and looking at the ground. "She tore into me like a dog on a bone" It was clear Paul was beginning to grow uncomfortable now. "She said a lot of "things" with a lot of "colorful" words. I…I was just standing there in shock. I didn't even know what to do" Leslie started to regret asking the question seeing how Paul was reacting to telling the story. "I just turned and started going the opposite way as fast as I could. A crowd already gathered and I just wanted to get out of there"

"Then Brady showed up didn't he?" Leslie asked. Paul wondered if she actually knew the story or just made a good guess. "Yeah, he showed up and things just got worse from there. He hit me across the chin and I dropped like a rock. You know it's amazing how getting hit on the chin can turn your legs to rubber, strangest thing" he said as he instinctively carassed his newest injury. "I haven't spoken to Sarah since that day. To be honest I'm afraid to. I avoid her and her friends" His last statement hit both Jesse and Leslie hard. Neither one could imagine ever being scared of approaching the other. Paul could tell there was something else bothering Leslie. It couldn't just be the story of his relationship with Sarah. However, he figured she would talk to Jesse about whatever it was which he preferred. At the moment he had enough drama in his own life to keep him busy.

"Well, I gotta' get going my mom starts to wonder about me after awhile." Paul said as he waved at Leslie and Jesse. "Don't you use the rope to cross?" Leslie called after him. "The day I decide to kill myself I'll use the rope, until then I'm using the bridge" he said without ever stopping.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer-I do not own any rights to Bridge to Terabithia_

_Please read & review. Thanks again to all who reviewed_.

Chapter 3

Jesse and Leslie watched Paul disappear across the makeshift bridge. Leslie was fixated on his last comment.

"What do you think he meant by 'when I decide to kill myself?" she asked. Jesse thought for sure she was going to read far more into this than was necessary.

"It was just a joke Les" he answered. "It's just his way of saying he doesn't trust the rope any more than I do" Leslie knew Paul was making a joke but there was something about the way he said it that left her feeling disturbed. He said it as if it was a foregone conclusion. "C'mon Les let's go home" Jesse said as he began walking towards the bridge. At first Leslie followed her boyfriend but then suddenly stopped.

"No Jesse let's go back to the tree house we'll be alone this time" she said. Jesse just shrugged his shoulders and faithfully followed her.

Back in their castle they sat side by side in the cramped surroundings looking at the memories that remained. Jesse's map of Terabithia was surprisingly still there and to their shock there really were a couple Oreos sealed inside a plastic bag inside an old coffee container. "Kinda' makes you wonder what they put in Oreo's doesn't it" Leslie said as she examined the "fossilized" cookie.

"Yeah, gives you a whole new perspective about preservatives" Jesse answered. They continued to examine their childhood fortress. There were a few old paintbrushes scattered about and an old writing pad Leslie had used. Several of Jesse's paintings survived as well.

"When you become a famous artist you can display these as your "early work" Leslie said with a laugh as she examined the paintings. Jesse looked over his "early work" and cringed.

"Wow, I really sucked back then" he said somewhat disgusted. Leslie thought it a harsh criticism.

"You were eleven years old Jesse! This is good for an eleven year old" She knew it was pointless to argue it with him. Jesse was his own harshest critic.

"Do you think Paul put up the tarp?" Leslie asked trying to change the subject. Jesse glanced up at the weathered canvas.

"Probably, I can't imagine anyone else being in here" he answered. "I'm really surprised he was in here. I can't believe somebody else found it" Leslie was surprised as well. But she didn't seem to be as bothered by it.

"Yeah, it's strange to think of someone else in our castle but it's not like we were using it" she said. Jesse nodded in agreement. "Well, the tarp did keep the rain out and probably saved the few things we have left" she said as they continued to rifle through the nooks and crannies of their castle.

"Why do you think he comes out here by himself Les?" Jesse asked as he saw something shiny on the floor.

"Same reason we used to. He wants to get away from everything out there" she said gesturing to the world just beyond the creek. Leslie saw Jesse peering at something in his hand. "What'd you find?"

"A necklace of some kind" he said as he handed it to her. Leslie examined the heart shaped pendant. It was a dull silver color with a faint wavy line through the middle. She quickly realized that with just a little pressure the heart separated into two pieces. It reminded her of a necklace she found in her mother's jewelry chest when she was a little girl.

"It's old but not old from sitting in this tree house" she said while continuing to examine it. "It must belong to Paul." Leslie's suggestion caught Jesse as unlikely. Why would Paul wear something like that?

"Leslie, what would Paul be doing with something like that?" he asked.

"I don't know Jesse but as far as we know he's the only person that's been in here besides us" she answered as she slipped the necklace into her pocket. "I'll ask him on Monday if it's his." The two made their way out of the tree house and back to the ground. Both Jesse and Leslie stopped to stretch for a moment.

"Sure is a lot smaller than I remember" Jesse said massaging his back. "I don't know how we spent so many hours up there." Leslie giggled as she too began massaging her own back.

"Well we were smaller for one thing" she said. "Back then we could fit you, me and PT in there along with whatever else we could find." Jesse thought back on those first days in Terabithia. They had so much fun running around for hours on end fighting the darkmaster. Even though things had changed for the better in both their lives he still felt an ache for those days.

"What're you thinking about Jesse?" Leslie asked as she pulled him into a hug. Jesse breathed in that wonderful scent of strawberry that he loved. Leslie had purposely bought several bottles of the strawberry scented shampoo when she learned the manufacturer was going to quit making it. It was the very same shampoo she used when they first met. Jesse never tired of smelling her hair and she never tired of letting him.

"I was thinking back on when we built the tree house and all the fun we had" he said as he looked up into the sky. Dark clouds were moving in and the smell of rain was in the air.

"I miss those days too" Leslie replied as she closed her eyes and nuzzled as close as she could to him. "It's getting cold." She said as Jesse realized Leslie was starting to shiver.

"C'mon let's go home. We don't want to get caught out here in the rain" he said taking her by the hand.

"You mean like the day you fell in love with me?" Jesse looked at his girlfriend who was beaming with a mischievous smile. That day so many years ago had become a signature moment in their lives. The day they ran home together in the rain. Leslie was wearing her red jacket and carrying PT. He watched her run transfixed on the girl who not only taught him how to close his eyes and keep his mind wide open but to open his heart as well. When she stopped to turn and wave goodbye the look in her eye, the smile on her face took hold of Jesse's heart and never let go. He cherished that memory.

"Yeah just like the day I fell in love with you" he said as they both ran home through the rain that began to fall. They laughed and played all the way; jumping in puddles and acting like the kids they used to be.

_

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__Several hours later after a shower and change of clothes the two met up again for a night of DVDs in Jesse's living room_

After searching through a stack of movies Jesse and Leslie decided on _Roman Holiday, _an old classic with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn_. _After the first fifteen minutes Leslie's mind returned to an earlier discussion that day.

"Hey Jesse, have you ever met Sarah Bradford, Paul's old friend?" Jesse was afraid she might return to the topic of Paul and Sarah. He was hoping she wouldn't but wasn't surprised when she did.

"No and neither should you miss nosy" he replied. Leslie gave him a look of annoyance.

"I'm not being nosy Jesse, I'm just curious that's all" she said as she stood up. "Don't you think Paul and Sarah were similar to us? They met in the fifth grade and became best friends just like you and me. I mean you and I are still best friends...well, more than that now but the point is we're still together. Why aren't they?" she asked. Jesse thought the answer was obvious.

"Les, he explained that. They had a fight and..." Leslie cut Jesse off before he could finish.

"We've had lots of fights Jesse and it never separated us…well not for long anyway." Jesse couldn't argue her point. Yet, he couldn't understand Leslie's obsession with Paul and Sarah. They really didn't know Paul that well and didn't know Sarah at all. Just because they had similarities to his and Leslie's relationship didn't mean they were the same.

"Les, you and I…well, we're special" Jesse said not knowing how to put into words exactly what he wanted to say. "I mean we have other friends but we still spend the majority of our time together, we always have." Leslie couldn't help but smile. She always knew her relationship with Jesse was different than with anyone else. It always would be. They were kindred spirits that found each other when they really needed a friend. That notwithstanding she still thought there was more to Paul's story than he was letting on.

"Yeah, you're right Jesse" she said as she subtly changed the subject. "I guess I just got carried away with the whole thing." Jesse was happy she dropped the subject.

"Well you're a sucker for a lost cause Les" he said with a laugh as they climbed out of the tree house.

"True, I mean I did become your friend after all and lord knows you were a lost cause" she said teasingly.

_A couple days later_

Paul O'Donnell hated high school more than any other person alive. At least that's how he felt. Even several months into the new school year he found it as depressing and hellish as ever. Lunch time was something Paul would gladly give up. The lunch period was the high school equivalent to the "yard" in prison. The "convicts" roamed freely in a confined space allowing them ample opportunity to "shank" someone. Perhaps Paul took his prison metaphor a bit far. Nobody had ever been stabbed or shot at Lark Creek High at least not that he was aware of. Generally he tried to take sanctuary away from the "madness" of the hormonal overload occurring in the cafeteria by going into the library. That however wasn't an option today. With the library closed he was forced to feed among the other inmates. After securing his tray Paul made his way to an empty table. While busy converting his chicken fried steak into a chicken fried sandwich complete with mashed potatoes he didn't see Jesse and Leslie enter the cafeteria.

"Did you see Paul over at that table?" Jesse asked Leslie as they made their way through the lunch line.

"No, why what's he doing?" she asked.

"Look liked he was building something out of mashed potatoes" he answered. Leslie pondered that for a moment. How does one build with mashed potatoes? What do they build? Why mashed potatoes? She seemed to remember Jesse telling her a story of a time he tried to build something out of mashed potatoes. Jesse said it was his artistic side trying to break out when he was young. He was just looking for a way to express himself. Of course his father didn't see it that way and Jesse decided to stick to his sketchbook.

"Come on let's go sit with him. I need to ask him about the necklace." she said quickly heading off in the direction of Paul's table. Jesse hurried after her all the while berating himself for ever mentioning the subject.

"Hey Paul, do you mind if we sit here?" Leslie asked as she put her tray down. Paul looked up with a mouthful of sandwich embarrassed to be caught stuffing his face. He motioned for her to take a seat. Jesse quickly joined her.

"Hi Leslie, Jesse" he said after finally clearing his mouth. "Not that I mind the company but…are you sure you two really want to sit here?" Jesse and Leslie both looked at each other.

"Why, what's the problem?" Jesse asked.

"Well, if you haven't noticed I tend to attract the wrong kind of attention" Paul answered as he finished off his sandwich. "You know Brady Hicks kind of attention. I just don't want you two to get sucked into all the fun I'm having" he said sarcastically. Jesse knew enough about Brady Hicks to know he was a jerk. However, he never had any personal problems with the guy and didn't see any reason why there should be.

"We'll be fine. Hopefully he'll just leave you alone" Jesse said as he began to inhale his lunch. He looked over to his girlfriend and saw that she wasn't touching her food. In fact she seemed suddenly very quiet which Jesse knew was the sign of a problem. "What's wrong Les?" he asked giving her a light nudge.

Leslie jumped in her seat startled out of her concentration. Both Jesse and Paul stared at her for a moment. Paul looked to Jesse then back to his food. He couldn't help but think it had something to do with him. It was the same reaction she had back in the tree house. "What…uh…I'm fine, just thinking" Leslie was trying to play it off but trying to fool Jesse after all the years they knew each other was foolish.

"Leslie, you're no better at lying to me than I am to you. Now…" Jesse was suddenly cut off by the arrival of an uninvited guest. Standing before them was Brady Hicks. At six feet three inches and roughly 210lbs he was an imposing figure. His idea of fashion was a t-shirt several sizes too small with jeans that were a size too big. He sported a shaved head which some said was his attempt to look like some famous mixed martial arts fighter. Brady reached over Paul's shoulder and stole the banana off his tray.

"Aren't you a bit old to be stealing people's lunches?" Paul asked as he looked over his shoulder at the brute. Jesse was shocked that Paul spoke so brashly to his tormentor. It was a peculiar thing about Paul O'Donnell. Sometime after his fallout with Sarah he seemed to have lost his fear of Brady. He still got the snot beat out of him but he refused to cower to the bully. Instead he preferred antagonizing him.

"Watch your mouth smart ass!" Brady barked as he slapped Paul across the head. It was at that moment that Brady realized Leslie Burke was sitting at the table. How he had missed her he didn't know but now that he saw her he intended to take advantage of the moment. "Leslie I had no idea you were friends with my buddy Paul here" he said as he moved his way into the seat next to Leslie. It was amazing how he could transition from being a sadistic bully to a smiling, seemingly nice young man. As Jesse was trying to figure out just how Brady Hicks knew Leslie he felt her move as close as she possibly could to him. Paul began to feel just as uneasy as Jesse looked. The look on Leslie's face however concerned both of them even more. She was scared and from what Paul knew of Leslie Burke she didn't scare easily.

"So, did ya' think about what we talked about last week?" Brady asked Leslie as he briefly looked at Jesse and flashed a contemptuous grin. Jesse's blood began to boil. He could feel his face heat up with anger. Paul saw that Jesse was on the verge of doing something brave but ultimately futile. He didn't doubt Jesse could handle himself with someone more...normal. Brady Hicks wasn't normal and nobody knew that better than Paul O'Donnell. Jesse could get himself hurt, suspended and forever make an enemy of the Neanderthal. That would only make Leslie's situation that much worse. Paul figured he had nothing to lose anyway. He couldn't let Jesse and Leslie suffer just for being friendly to him. "C'mon Leslie we can go talk somewhere else where there aren't so many people" Brady said with a smile that prompted Jesse to jump out of his chair. However, before he could take any action Paul stepped in.

"She's too pretty, too smart, and too damn good for a bastard like you" Paul said as he picked up his tray and slammed it into Brady's face. The impact sounded like a bat slamming into a baseball. Brady fell from his chair clutching his face. Surprisingly he staggered quickly back to his feet. Paul, still clutching his tray like a samurai sword advanced on Brady and quickly delivered another blow to his face. "Besides, she already has a boyfriend you jackass!" The bully fell to his knees covering his face. Paul tossed the tray aside and stared at Brady for a moment. He then turned around and quietly left the cafeteria.

The remainder of the day was a useless attempt to try and put out of their mind what had happened. They had no idea what happened to Paul or even where he went. Brady was taken to the office to see the nurse, at least that's what they assumed. Somehow American history and their other remaining classes weren't able to take their minds off it. Jesse and Leslie both skipped their after school cross-country practice, a rare event for the pair and went home instead. Leslie knew Jesse was going to start asking her about Brady Hicks. She dreaded that conversation. However, on the ride home he kept quiet which she wasn't sure was a good or bad sign but was grateful nonetheless.

Once home they retreated to Leslie's house and quickly made their way to her room. Leslie put her backpack away then crawled up next to Jesse who was sitting on her bed. She decided a pre-emptive apology would be best. "I'm sorry Jesse" she said as she took his hand in hers. "I should've told you what was going on but I was scared of what he might do if you approached him" Though Jesse was angry the last thing he wanted to do was get into an argument with his girlfriend. There had already been enough fighting for one day.

"What was going on with Brady Les?" he asked as he looked into those green eyes he loved so much. "Did he...do something to you?" Leslie knew she would have to talk about it sooner or later.

"No, he didn't do anything to me" she answered. "He never actually said anything either. Well, other than flirting with me that is. It was...it was what some other girls were saying about him" Jesse could see Leslie squirm as she clutched onto his arm.

"What did these girls say Les?" he asked putting his arm around her. Leslie rested her head on his shoulder and let out a sigh.

"One of them said Brady raped her" Jesse's face went pale. The thought of Brady Hicks even thinking of Leslie made him sick. It also made him mad and he suddenly had a whole new respect for Paul's performance earlier that day.

"Les, if that's true then we..." Leslie cut him off before he could finish.

"Jesse, I don't even know who this girl is. I was in the bathroom and overheard her talking to a couple of friends. I never even saw what they looked like" She knew Jesse wanted to do the right thing and tell someone but it would likely have little to no effect. Brady seemed to be a chameleon. He appeared a very likeable and outgoing person until the other side emerged. That was what Paul was trying to tell her back in Terabithia. Paul saw the other side of Brady Hicks and knew how bad he could be. "The girl said he just changed like someone flipped a light switch" she continued on. "He just attacked her. One moment he's prince charming the next he's a sadistic sociopath"

Jesse held Leslie close to him for several minutes just appreciating the fact that she was with him. Brady obviously had his sights set on Leslie and Paul knew it. He intervened just as Jesse was about to say something. He didn't understand Paul's reaction until now. Paul wasn't simply taking the opportunity to hit Brady with a cheap shot he was protecting Leslie and Jesse.

"Les, please promise you'll come to me in the future whenever something is bothering you" he said as he kissed her forehead.

"I will Jesse, I promise." As the two sat in silence the familiar ring of Leslie's cell phone broke through the quiet. Leslie's first instinct was to ignore it but she instead reached for her phone and quickly looked at the caller ID. The number wasn't familiar but she answered it anyway.

_"Hello?"_

_"Can I speak to Leslie Burke please?"_

_"This is Leslie can I ask who is calling?"_

_"My name is Sarah, Sarah Bradford"_**

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****Thanks for reading, I hope to update soon. **


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer-I own no rights to Bridge to Terabithia

Thanks to those who reviewed, it is appreciated

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**Chapter 4**

Leslie felt her stomach tighten as she realized who she was talking to

Leslie felt her stomach tighten as she realized who she was talking to.

"Did you say Sarah Bradford?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm uh…Paul's friend, Paul O'Donnell. You do know him don't you?" Sarah asked eagerly.

"Yeah, I've been in a few classes with him. Jes…uh my boyfriend Jesse and I were eating lunch with him today"

"That's why I called…"

Sarah went on to explain that since the attack on Brady Paul had not been seen. He never went home and since he didn't really have any other friends nobody knew where to look. Leslie was both surprised and happy that Sarah was so concerned about her friend. She knew a friendship like that wouldn't simply just end. However, she was at a loss as to where Paul could've gone to. As she was trying to think of places he might have gone Jesse tapped her on the shoulder. Leslie turned and saw him holding up one of his sketches of Terabihia. Leslie smiled and informed Sarah that she might just know where Paul is.

"So Sarah's coming over here?" Jesse asked a bit skeptical.

"Yeah, we'll show her how to get to Terabithia. We gotta move fast though because it'll be dark soon" she said while digging through her closet looking for a heavier jacket.

"I wonder why she's so intent on finding him?" he asked as he leaned back on her bed. Leslie emerged form the pile of clothes now accumulated on the bottom of her closet.

"What do you mean Jesse? Why wouldn't she be concerned?" she asked puzzled.

"Well, according to Paul their not really friends anymore" Leslie just shook her head.

"Jesse, do you remember that time back in eighth grade when we had that fight over the spring dance?" Jesse looked up and nodded. It was a moment he would not easily forget.

"You went with Brian Lawson Les that's not easy to forget" he said clearly still bothered by the memory. Leslie rolled her eyes but found it amusing all the same.

"Well, remember when you came looking for me after the dance and Bill told you I was supposed to be at your house, that I'd been gone for several hours?" Again Jesse nodded.

"Yeah, I don't know who was more surprised me or your dad" Jesse answered with a chuckle. "I knew you must've gone to Terabithia so I ran like a bat out of hell to the rope. I was scared to death something happened to you"

"Why were you scared?" she asked.

"Because we never go to Terabithia alone Les you know that" he said giving her the 'look'. "You went out there knowing how I worry about you. I was already all wound up about the Brian Lawson affair" Leslie couldn't help but still feel touched at how he fussed over her. As annoying as it could be at times she wouldn't trade it for anything. He probably saved her life a hundred times over without either one ever knowing it.

"Yes I know Jesse and I believe I've apologized enough for that transgression but my point is even when we were mad at each other that didn't stop you from coming after me"

"Of course it didn't. You'd have done the same Les"

"Exactly" As Leslie stood up she saw through her window a car pull into the driveway. "Come on Jesse Sarah's here" she said as she pulled him off the bed.

Bill and Judy Burke looked up from the couch in just enough time to see Jesse being dragged out the front door.

"Jesse looked a bit apprehensive" Bill Burke said to his wife.

"Really, how could you tell? I could barely even tell it was him" Judy said as she took a sip of her tea.

"I know Jesse's apprehensive look" he replied. "You know what that means"

"Leslie's up to something" they both said in unison.

Jesse finally managed to regain his balance once Leslie slowed down. His girlfriend was freakishly strong when excited and more often than not was unaware of it. They both slowed to a walk and met Sarah just as she was getting out of her car. She was a bit shorter than Leslie and had long, brown hair tied up in a pony tail. She was very easy on the eyes. Jesse could see why Paul was attracted to her, at least physically.

"Hi, I'm Sarah" she said extending her hand to Leslie.

Leslie shook Sarah's hand and made the introductions. "Hi Sarah I'm Leslie and this is Jesse, my normally well behaved boyfriend" she said giving him a little elbow to the ribs as it was obvious he was gawking at their new friend. The two girls laughed while Jesse just turned red from embarrassment. He knew he was going to pay for that later.

"Thank you so much for helping me" Sarah said as her smile faded from her face. "I've been worried sick ever since I heard about…the incident." Leslie could see the concern etched across Sarah's face. Whatever happened between her and Paul certainly didn't do any damage to their feelings for one another.

"We're happy to help" Leslie replied as they began to walk down the road to Terabithia. "Sarah, I don't mean to pry but…"

"You're wondering why I'm trying to find Paul when we don't even talk to each other." Sarah said filling in Leslie's sentence.

"Uh, yeah basically" Leslie said a bit embarrassed. "Sorry, if it's too personal…"

"It's okay" Sarah interjected. "It's certainly a fair question especially since you're helping me find him" She began to explain the details of her friendship with Paul O'Donnell, how they met at the age of ten and became best friends. How they became regular fixtures at each other's house practically becoming part of the family. Leslie and Jesse both smiled as they each thought of their own family.

"I always had a lot of friends but Paul was definitely my best friend. He…he's special" she said. "I feel more comfortable with him than any of my other friends. Most importantly I trust him." Sarah could see the looks of confusion on Jesse and Leslie's faces. It was understandable. How could two people who were such good friends not be friends anymore? "Things started to fall apart when Brady Hicks came along…"

The mention of Brady Hicks threw a cloud over the otherwise relaxed atmosphere. Sarah obviously had trouble talking about him. Leslie thought for sure she wouldn't finish the story and she had no intention of pushing her new friend. Sarah surprised them however.

"When I started dating Brady Paul just about lost his mind" she said with a look of regret. "He warned me that Brady wasn't what he seemed but I didn't listen. Instead I told Paul wha…what he could go do with himself." Sarah grew silent as they continued the walk to Terabithia. Jesse however noticed a difference between Sarah and Paul's stories.

"Paul said that Brady began to pick on him after you started dating the guy" he asked confused. Sarah didn't seem caught off guard by the question.

"No, Brady went after Paul when he took an interest in me. Brady thought he could use Paul to help him get to know me. He figured Paul would be intimidated by him but he made a mistake"

"What mistake?" Leslie asked eagerly.

"Brady made some…sexual references regarding me" she said seemingly ashamed. "That pissed Paul off and he let Brady know it…" Sarah didn't finish her sentence as she looked up and saw a rope dangling over a creek. When Leslie looked over at her she saw a glimmer of excitement in Sarah's eyes. "You guys swing across to get over?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Well, we used to" Leslie answered. "Now…um…"

"Now we use that fallen over tree" Jesse said pointing to the makeshift bridge. "I don't trust the rope anymore, not after so many years just hanging there. Leslie's just doing as I asked otherwise she'd be swinging over." Sarah was impressed with Jesse's frankness. He was clearly more worried about Leslie's safety than his own.

"Let me guess Leslie's a bit…reckless?" Sarah asked with a smile. Try though he might Jesse couldn't suppress a laugh. He figured Sarah must have had a certain similar, over protective friend as well.

"I'm not that bad Jesse" Leslie said trying hard to suppress her own laugh.

"Don't worry Leslie" Sarah said. "I used to drive Paul crazy with some of my "stunts." I probably gave the poor guy an ulcer" Leslie felt better knowing she wasn't the only girl with an overprotective boyfriend. Only after that thought passed did she realize Paul and Sarah were never a couple. It struck her as odd. They seemed such a natural pair. Leslie figured it was best to leave that issue alone, at least for now.

The trio made their way across the bridge and into the forest. Leslie figured they probably had about an hour left of sunlight and began to pick up the pace. It didn't take long to find the tree house. Both Leslie and Jesse felt apprehensive about another "stranger" seeing their castle. Even after being absent from their kingdom for so long they still felt a certain sense of ownership. Leslie looked over and saw a smile on Sarah's face.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Paul and I never had anything like this" Sarah said looking to the tree house. "But we did have our own place we used to play in. I…I miss it sometimes" With each growing minute Leslie and even Jesse were more and more befuddled by the similarities between them. Just a few miles away from Terabithia while Jesse and Leslie fought the Darkmaster and hunted trolls Paul and Sarah were having their own adventures. Yet they never crossed paths until now.

"C'mon let's go see if Paul's here" Jesse said as he took the lead. He quickly made his way up the tree but found the castle empty. He felt far more disappointed than he anticipated. Just listening to Sarah talk about growing up with Paul left Jesse wanting to see the two reunited. He couldn't imagine life without Leslie and was thankful that despite their fights and disagreements they always remained loyal to one another.

"He's not here." Jesse said as he reappeared from inside the tree house. He could see the looks of disappointment on both girls' faces and they no doubt could see his frustration. As he climbed down he thought for sure he heard something rustling in the brush behind the tree house. "Did you hear that?" he asked.

Leslie and Sarah both nodded and looked over in the direction of the clatter. Though Leslie knew it was highly unlikely Brady knew anything about this location she still feared he would appear from behind the trees. As Jesse moved beside her she instinctively took hold of his hand.

As the rustling got closer the trio waited apprehensively for sign of life. Through a clearing a figure finally emerged carrying an armful of sticks. As the person looked up and saw the three teenagers he gave a start as though he had just been struck by lightning. The pile of sticks tumbled to the ground revealing one Paul O'Donnell.

"Jesus Christ you scared the hell out of me" he screamed. "What're…" It was only then that Paul realized Sarah was only a few feet from him. They both stared at one another for a moment. It was obvious to Jesse and Leslie that there was no animosity between the two. They wondered if there ever really was.

"Hi Sarah" Paul said a bit sheepishly. He seemed unsure of whether or not he should reach out and hug her or keep a respectful distance. Luckily Sarah made the decision for him. She walked right up to Paul and embraced him.

"Is that all you have to say to your best friend?" she asked with a laugh mixed with a few tears. Paul returned her embrace and held on as though his life depended on it. For the first time in a long time he was happy.

Jesse looked over at his girlfriend who was positively beaming with that beautiful smile he loved. Even he couldn't suppress a smile after seeing the two friends reunited. He couldn't help but think that maybe he and Leslie should leave the pair alone but quickly remembered the reason they came to Terabithia in the first place. He looked to Leslie who understood exactly what he didn't even have to say.

"Um, I don't want to um…ruin the moment but we're running low on daylight and we still have the uh…issue of Brady Hicks to deal with." The mention of that name pulled Paul and Sarah out of their temporary euphoria. They all knew there was a serious matter that needed to be addressed.

The four gathered under the tree house and stood around nervously waiting for someone to take the initiative. Leslie, not a fan of indecision, took the lead.

"Brady's been…I guess you could say flirting with me for a few weeks" she said breaking the silence. "He didn't seem to care that I had a boyfriend or that I wasn't interested. In fact he didn't really seem to care about anything I had to say at all." Leslie continued her story explaining how though he appeared to be a nice, likeable guy she felt very uneasy around him. She told them the story of the girl she overheard in the bathroom admitting to being raped by Brady. Leslie noticed both Sarah and Paul were looking at one another rather uneasily. Clearly something rattled them.

"Are you talking about the bathroom outside Mr. Allen's classroom? The one with the broken sink?" Sarah asked like a detective sifting for clues.

"Uh, yeah that's the bathroom" Leslie answered.

"Leslie" Sarah began. "You've got to make sure you're never alone at school…or home for that matter." The girl's tone was filled with fear and she seemed on the verge of breaking down. "Jesse, you have to stay with her okay? Walk Leslie to her classes, stay together at lunch, the more friends you have the better" Jesse, already worried after the day's events wanted to know exactly what was going on.

"Do you think Brady will try and attack Leslie?" he asked not wanting to hear the answer. Though he was speaking to Sarah it was Paul that answered.

"I can guarantee you he's been planning it" he said bluntly. "I may have 'diverted' his attention temporarily with my stunt but ultimately he'll come back to Leslie" Jesse was angry, scared and confused. On the one hand he wanted to find Brady Hicks and finish the job Paul started. On the other he wanted to grab Leslie and take her as far away as he possibly could.

"You have to level with us" Jesse said growing a bit frustrated. "I know Brady bullies Paul but what else has he done to you to get you two so worked up?" Paul was just on the verge of responding to Jesse when Sarah stepped forward.

"Brady raped me" she said.


	5. Chapter 5

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_Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Bridge to Terabithia_

Thanks to all who read and reviewed. I appreciate the comments and suggestions. As has been pointed out commas are one of my grammatical weaknessess(among others). I'm reviewing basic grammar to get a handle on it. This chapter went through several rewrites and I never really felt good about it.

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**Chapter 5**

Brady Hicks sat alone on a gurney inside the emergency room. Although the waiting room was stuffed full like a sardine can the actual treatment area just through a set of double doors was shockingly quiet. There didn't seem to be any urgency on part of the staff. He had already been sitting on the gurney behind a curtain for nearly an hour. Brady gently touched his nose and immediately wished he hadn't. Even the slightest touch felt like fire on his skin.

He was nursing a broken nose accompanied by two shiners in various hues of blue and purple. His forehead was beginning to form a nasty bruise just above his eyes. For Scott though the worst damage was the blow to his pride. As he sat there he wondered how in the world he let a guy half his size get the best of him; a guy he had previously beaten, humiliated, and tormented for the past year. He remembered Paul saying something about Leslie just as he was smashed in the face.

Worst of all everyone saw it happen, well everyone in the cafeteria at the time. Now he was the one humiliated and it wasn't something he cared for. Brady Hicks was the popular, good looking guy vying for a football scholarship. He had everything he could want. This kind of thing didn't happen to him. With all the friends he had he should've been surrounded by a band of followers Yet Brady Hicks was alone. His friends were no where to be seen. This only increased his frustration. Brady often turned his frustrations into other people's pain, Paul O'Donnell for one. Now he had to put Paul back in his place to show him and everybody else who was king of the hill. Leslie Burke would have to wait. Brady's anger was fixated on breaking Paul O'Donnell.

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The four teenagers decided to regroup at Leslie's house as nobody really fancied the idea of being caught out in the rain after dark in a forest. Even Jesse and Leslie found themselves a bit spooked in their own kingdom. However, they all enjoyed a laugh when Paul had to talk Sarah out of using the rope swing to cross over the creek. Jesse for one felt much better seeing someone else act as protectively as he did.

"I don't know what we can do to be honest" Leslie said as the four walked into her house. Both Judy and Bill Burke were busy in the kitchen cooking dinner when they saw the gaggle of teens walk in. Leslie stopped to say hi and give them an update.

"Hi Bill, hi Judy" she said with a smile. Her parents were surprised but happy to see their daughter making new friends.

"Hey Les, you and Jesse got some new friends?" her father asked.

"Yeah, this is Paul O'Donnell and Sarah Bradford. We met them at school" she said as Paul and Sarah each made their own introduction. "We'll be up in my room" she said and the pack was gone in a flash.

Judy returned to cutting the vegetables while her husband was apparently pondering something about the brief meeting.

"What is it?" she asked curiously. Bill turned and gave his wife an odd look.

"Did you see the look on Paul's face?" he asked.

"What look? All he did was say hello" she responded.

"It's the same look Jesse gets when he's worried. Do you think…"

"Bill, just get back to the pasta"

Jesse and Leslie watched in wonder as their two new friends bickered with each other. It was almost like an out of body experience. They were getting front row seats to watch two people act just like they did.

"Paul you're not staying out in the forest overnight" Sarah said with frustration. "Your mom is worried sick and your sister refuses to let anyone else help her with her insulin injection." That statement seemed to have the desired affect as Paul's demeanor changed from aggravation to concern.

"Damn, I forgot about that" he said as he pondered what to do. "Well she knows how to do it she just lets me do it because I make such a fuss about it."

"That's not the point Paul. If you don't want to go home then you're staying at my house. I will not have you sleeping out in the forest. Now I don't want to hear another word." Leslie was impressed at how Sarah could be both stern and caring at the same time. She knew Paul like the back of her hand and zeroed in on his weakness-fighting. He hated fighting with her and would do just about anything to avoid it. The strategy didn't always work but it did the job in this case.

"Okay, okay you win" Paul said as he conceded defeat. "Let's just try and figure out what to do about Brady." Sarah and Paul looked over at Jesse and Leslie who were smiling as if they were in on a secret that nobody else knew about. However, they had more important concerns at the moment.

"Leslie, like I said earlier, don't walk around alone" Sarah said as they returned to the subject of Brady Hicks "That goes for school and home. Carry a weapon if you have to." Jesse and Leslie both showed disdain for that idea. A weapon only invited trouble.

"What kind of weapon?" Leslie asked skeptically. "The metal detectors would detect anything I tried to bring in" she said. Paul reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a toothbrush. He handed it to Leslie. She quickly noticed that the end of the handle was sharpened to a fine point.

"You made a shiv?" Jesse asked stunned. Leslie, not having grown up with a television was not quite as familiar with prison slang as her boyfriend.

"What's a shiv?" she asked confused.

"An improvised weapon basically" Paul said as Leslie handed the weapon back to him. "It's prison slang. Prisoners often make shivs out of broken glass, spoons, bed wires, toothbrushes, you name it they probably use it." Leslie noticed that even Sarah was disturbed at her friend's knowledge and practical application of prison tactics. "In prison they refer to it as being shanked with a shiv" Paul added.

"Why would you carry that?" Jesse asked still not convinced of the need for such a device. Paul seemed a bit irritated at the question.

"I've been bullied most of my life but the last year and a half has been a nightmare" he said tucking the toothbrush back into his pocket. "Last year Brady caught me after school one day just before the Christmas break and beat the hell out of me." Paul's tone of voice changed as he stared out the bedroom window. "He broke my nose, fractured my wrist when I tried to block a punch, and bruised my ribs. A couple of his friends were standing off to the side watching. They were laughing their asses off when he put out his cigarette on the back of my neck" Paul turned his neck to reveal a small burn scar. Judging from her reaction Sarah apparently wasn't aware of that particular mark. "God, I was so scared. I thought he was going to kill me. Scott threatened to hurt my…" Paul lowered his head ashamed. He hated himself for cowering to the brute. He hated himself for being weak.

"What is it Paul?" Sarah asked as she took his hand. "What did he say?" Paul gently squeezed his friends hand and mustered up the strength to continue.

"He threatened to hurt my little sister if I ever said anything." Only Sarah truly understood what that meant to Paul. His sister Caitlin was only 9 years old and adored her big brother. For his part Paul dotted on the child. She had truly made a difference in not only his life but that of his family. Paul's upbringing wasn't necessarily bad but it wasn't the same as his sisters either. Paul never received all the love and attention he saw lavished on his sister. His mother was attentive and loving enough but his father was something else entirely. It seemed as far back as Paul could remember his father resented him. He was overly strict and verbally abusive. Sarah didn't have to look far to find out where her best friends low self-esteem originated from. His mother stepped in and fought for her son which eased the tension for a time. However, in time the cycle would begin again. It wasn't until Caitlin was older that Paul's father started to ease off of him. Tom O'Donnell couldn't lash out at Paul once he realized how much it upset his daughter. She may have been daddy's little girl but big brother carried a lot of weight in Caitlin's eyes.

"Anyway, that's why I carry a weapon. Anything that gives me a better shot at survival I'm gonna' use. He's never going to hurt my sister, Sarah or me ever again." Jesse could see the determination in Paul's eyes. It was something he both admired and feared. Paul would stop at nothing to protect those he cared for. Jesse felt he would do the same for Leslie or his sister's…well some of his sisters anyway. However, he knew he was fortunate to have the bullies in his life fade away and he owed that to Leslie. He was fortunate to have Leslie and he wasn't going to let that brute do anything to her.

The four decided to regroup the following day in Terabithia after school. Though all agreed Paul would be suspended, if not expelled, he assured them that he would be able to slip out from his parent's forthcoming grounding. Besides, he had no intention of letting Sarah go anywhere near Terabithia on her own.

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The day after Paul O'Donnell took down Brady Hicks Lark Creek High School was abuzz with rumor and speculation. Neither one of the "combatants" were anywhere to be seen. Leslie was able to learn from Mr. Allen that Paul had been suspended for a week rather than expelled. However, upon return to school he was going to be placed in "In School Suspension" or ISS. Brady they all assumed was recovering from the attack.

"Leslie, do you know why Paul attacked Brady?" Mr. Allen asked just as Jesse walked into the classroom. Jesse's face was marked with frustration something his teacher quickly noticed. "Jesse, could you come here please?" Leslie turned to see her boyfriend clearly upset with her for not waiting for him to walk her to class.

"I need to know what happened yesterday Jesse. What caused Paul to lose control like that?" Jesse looked to Leslie who tried to avoid his gaze. He searched his mind for an answer, well a lie actually.

"Um…well, Brady came up and stole his banana and slapped him in the head. Paul just…well he got mad and…" Mr. Allen cut Jesse off with a wave of his hand.

"Jesse you have no gift for lying" he said as he turned to Leslie. "Okay Ms. Burke your turn" Leslie sighed and decided to do what she should've done when this all started.

"Brady has been…bothering me for a while now" she said a bit reluctantly. "He won't leave me alone. He keeps trying to get me to go off with him somewhere private. That's what he was doing at lunch yesterday." Mr. Allen seemed to accept Leslie's version of the story.

"So, Paul attacked while Brady was talking to you?" her teacher asked.

"Well, Paul mumbled something first then he hit Brady with the tray." Leslie responded. Mr. Allen could see Jesse fidgeting.

"What is it Jesse?" he asked. Jesse looked over to Leslie then back at his teacher.

"I think Paul hit Brady to stop me from doing something." Jesse said as he looked to the floor. "I was so mad at Brady for just…coming over and talking to Leslie like I wasn't there. I got angry and jumped out of my chair."

"That's when Paul hit Brady?" Mr. Allen asked.

"Yes sir, he hit him twice then walked out of the cafeteria." Both Jesse and Leslie noticed a small smile form on their teachers face.

For the remainder of the day Jesse practically attached himself to Leslie. Though it was a bit annoying she was thankful nonetheless. As they drove home after school Leslie called Sarah to confirm they were still meeting that afternoon. Based on what he was hearing Jesse knew there had been a change in plans. He waited patiently until Leslie closed her cell phone.

"Change of plans?" he asked. Leslie nodded with a look of disappointment.

"Yeah, apparently Paul's father went ballistic when he found out what happened." She said as she dug around her backpack for her bottle of water. "Needless to say Paul can't get away from his house."

"Well, I kind of figured he would have a hard time sneaking away. My parents would've chained me to my bed if I did something like that" he said with a laugh. Jesse quickly noticed Leslie wasn't laughing. "You okay Les?" he asked as he pulled the truck into the Burke driveway.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I was just looking forward to seeing Sarah and Paul" she replied as Jesse followed her into the house. Jesse found that he too was a little disappointed that they would not see their new friends. Though they both had other friends they rarely all got together. For both Jesse and Leslie they sometimes felt like a third wheel when hanging out with each others friends. One of Leslie's closer friends moved away the year before leaving a small void.

"I was looking forward to seeing them too" he said as they sat down on her bed. "It's eerie how similar they are to us. Well, except they aren't in love with each other." Leslie turned to her boyfriend with her eyebrows raised.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that Mr. Aarons" Leslie said with a coy smile.

"I know Paul likes Sarah but she doesn't like him…in that way I mean." Leslie still had a smile on her face despite Jesse's argument. "What're you smiling about?" he asked no longer able to control his curiosity.

"Sarah loves Paul Jess, trust me." Leslie could see Jess was skeptical of her proclamation. "You don't believe me?" she asked.

"Well, it's not that I don't believe you but how would you know? Did Sarah tell you she loves him?" Jesse asked.

"No, she didn't tell me, she didn't need to. I could tell." Again Jesse was left dumbfounded.

"How could you possibly tell? Do you have psychic abilities I'm not aware of Ms. Burke?" Leslie laughed, more at Jesse's inability to see the obvious than his joke.

"It's her eyes Jess" she said as she looked at her best friend. "The way she looks at him is the same way I look at you, which I never realized until my mom pointed it out." Jess began to understand Leslie's point. He remembered the first time he saw her beautiful green eyes gazing at him with "the look" as he called it. He knew he had done the same all those years before in the rain watching Leslie run home with PT in her arms.

"I guess you're right. I wasn't really paying attention to her eyes" Jesse said as he stared into Leslie's emerald eyes.

"No, you were too busy staring at her boobs" Leslie replied with a stern look. Jesse's face turned red with embarrassment. He knew that moment was going to come back and haunt him. Leslie had a peculiar way of letting him dangle for a while letting him believe everything was okay. At just the right moment she lowered the boom.

"No, I wasn't…Les I was not looking at her…you know…"

"Boobs Jess, they're called boobs." Leslie answered as she watched him squirm.

"Okay, I looked. I'm sorry, I didn't intend to it just…sorta happened" Jesse said. Leslie knew he was sorry and felt guilty about it. She just needed to hear him say it. "I'm sorry Les I really am." Little did Jess know Leslie already forgave him for his transgression. Now as she looked into his puppy dog eyes she couldn't resist stealing a kiss.

"I know Jess just don't make a habit of it" she said as she leaned in and kissed him.

* * *

The next several days passed without incident. Brady had yet to return to school which most students figured was due more to embarrassment than pain. All the excitement generated by the fight had died down and life returned to normal at Lark Creek High. Jesse, Leslie, and Sarah met up several times at school to discuss what they could do about Brady. However, they were having no luck. There didn't seem to be any feasible options. Even if Sarah came forward and admitted to being raped it would be her word against his. The evidence was long since washed or thrown away. If they could find this "mystery" girl from the bathroom that Leslie overheard then they might have a chance.

Yet, nobody even knew where to begin such a task or even how to begin it. As they pondered how to find a needle in a haystack Paul was busy toiling away his time at home. Part of his punishment was to complete every odd job around the house that his parents could think of. Unfortunately for Paul his parents prepared a long list to keep him busy. Of all his herculean tasks painting the house was his least favorite. He was surprised his dad would even allow him to do it.

Tom O'Donnell was downright obsessive about the appearance of his house. In the spring and summer he kept a beautifully manicured lawn and garden. In the fall all the fallen leaves were quickly raked, bagged and put away. There wasn't much the man could do in the winter time which was unfortunate as his cabin fever generally irritated everybody else. Paul always thought it odd that his father, a former infantryman, found such solace in gardening.

Paul began to haul the paint cans back into the shed once he finished his assigned portion for the day. He heard a vehicle pull up in the driveway. From the sound of it Paul figured it was his dad's truck. His father shouldn't have been home so early but Paul figured he would make a surprise visit to check up on him. When Paul came out of the shed he expected to see his father. For the first time in his life he wished he had.

* * *

**I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with Brady. I wanted to give him a "voice" but wasn't really sure if it was a good idea. Thanks again for reading! Reviews are always appreciated. The next chapter is underway.**


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer-I own no rights to _Bridge to Terabithia_

Sorry for such a late and short update. This chapter was rewritten several times and shoved aside for about a week. I would like to try and answer a question posed in one of the reviews. Yes, I am aware that Leslie dies in the book. However, many of the authors who write Bridge to Terabithia stories choose to keep Leslie alive. In fact it may have been what spurned them to write in the first place. Granted, it deviates from the book but that is why fan fiction is so enjoyable. We are able to see the many "what if's" if Leslie had lived. For me the movie had a far deeper impact than the book for which I credit the actors. In my minds eye I cannot see Leslie as anyone else other than AnnaSophia Robb or Jesse as Josh Hutcherson. I just want to explore the possibilities of an alternate ending. I appreciate all that have read and reviewed the story and thank you for your suggestions and questions.

* * *

Chapter 6

Leslie stared at the Trigonometry problem on her paper wondering why it was giving her so much trouble. In spite of her instructor's lack of teaching ability Leslie found Trigonometry easier than expected. Tonight, however, she simply wasn't in the mood the study the relationships between the sides of a triangle. Just as she lay her head down on her desk in frustration she heard the familiar ring of her cell phone. She reached for it without bothering to raise her head or check the caller ID.

"Hello" she answered a bit aggravated.

"Hi Leslie, its Sarah" at the sound of her new friends voice Leslie's spirits perked up.

"Hi Sarah, what's up?" she said as she suddenly felt reinvigorated.

"Something…something bad has happened" she answered ominously. Leslie wasn't sure she really wanted to know the details behind Sarah's comment. She braced herself for the worst. Sarah explained that upon coming home from school there were several police cars outside Paul's house. She wasn't able to get any information as the police wouldn't let anyone near the area. Yellow crime scene tape blocked off practically the whole O'Donnell home. Beyond that Sarah knew nothing.

"Did you see Paul's parents?" Leslie asked nervously.

"No, I never saw them or Caitlin. I…I don't know where they are" she answered. Leslie could hear Sara's voice trembling. Right now she had no idea what had become of her best friend or his family for that matter. Obviously whatever happened wasn't some random accident. There were too many police officers snooping around the O'Donnell home for it to be an accident.

"Leslie, do you think Brady hurt Paul?" Sara asked. Leslie knew her friend was seeking reassurance. Yet, her gut instinct screamed that that was exactly what happened. How could it have been anything else? Surely Brady would seek out revenge for Paul's attack on him. Would he be angry enough to turn it into a crime? A crime that would end his chance of winning a scholarship out of Lark Creek?

"I don't know Sarah" Leslie said trying her best to assuage her friend's fears. "Let's try and find out what we can before jumping to any conclusions. Paul…he'll be okay Sarah, don't worry." Leslie knew her last words were empty but felt the need to say them anyway. After speaking to Sarah Leslie immediately called Jesse to fill him in on the new developments. It didn't take Jesse long to realize the seriousness of the days event. If Brady had snapped and attacked, maybe even killed, Paul then what would stop him from going after Leslie?

Within minutes of putting away her cell phone Leslie was surprised by the arrival of Jesse carrying his backpack. Judging from the look on his face he was in full "protect the queen" mode as Leslie called it. Usually Leslie found it all a bit irritating but now she welcomed his cautious behavior. It was comforting to feel his presence. The nightmare with Brady Hicks seemed to be spiraling out of control like a snowball heading downhill. It was gathering momentum and becoming more destructive by the minute. How many people were going to be hurt before it finally ended?

"Jesse, do you think Brady would…you know…kill someone?" she asked hesitatingly. Jesse figured Leslie already knew his answer but was hoping against hope that maybe she was wrong.

"You mean do I think he killed Paul?" he answered. Leslie nodded and Jesse pondered his answer for a moment. Jesse didn't want to even think that Paul could be dead. After all they didn't even know what happened. Obviously somebody was in that ambulance maybe they were just hurt. "I think Brady is as bad as Paul said he was and that scares me" Leslie agreed with her boyfriend. Paul seemed to know from the start just how bad a seed Brady Hicks was. Now he may have paid the price for his refusal to back down from the bully.

Jesse and Leslie spent the remainder of the evening cuddled up together in the golden room. It was one place that, much like Terabithia, always made them happy. In its own way the room had become a symbol of Jesse and Leslie's friendship. Pictures of the pair hung on the walls and dotted the numerous bookshelves that took up residence against the golden walls. The room was lit by an old, antique lamp that cast a warm glow. The young couple sat in silence and listened to the wind that howled outside. For those few moments before they drifted off to sleep they forgot about all the problems of the day and simply enjoyed each others company.

* * *

The winds cold air felt like a knife against his skin. It was painful yet oddly soothing. He could feel the blood on his face freezing. All around him were the sounds of the evening. The coming and going of cars off in the distance, the occasional dog bark, even the smell of dinner cooking marked the transition from day to night. Paul O'Donnell welcomed it.

His thoughts turned to his family, in particular his mother and sister. Caitlin was so young but perhaps that would work in her favor. Even though she adored her big brother she would have far more life without him then she did with him. His mother would take it hard. Paul knew she never forgave herself for neglecting him while growing up. It was no wonder Caitlin received so much attention. His parents clearly overcompensated with their second child. In Paul's mind his death would bring about far more good than bad.

His parents and sister acted like a family. They were what he always thought a family should be. Yet, Paul was always on the outside looking in. He never felt as though he really belonged and often wondered why his parents ever kept him in the first place. He knew he was, in his father's words an "unfortunate accident". Of course it didn't matter now. It would all be over soon.

When his thoughts switched to her for a brief moment he felt the desire to fight off the darkness that was surrounding him. If Paul had any reason to see the sun rise it was her. Sarah was always the light he clung to. He loved her but could never have her. Paul hated himself for falling in love with his best friend. It put him in awkward position he felt ultimately cost him her friendship. Things had changed so much over the past year though it was a foolish dream to entertain. Sarah would grieve his loss but she was surrounded by a network of family and friends that would see her through. After all he always needed her far more than she needed him.

Instead of fighting to move himself from the cold, hard earth he had been left on Paul decided to let fate play itself out. Why should he deny death when he so often prayed for it? The pain was fading and Paul felt a warm, peaceful sensation overcome him. It radiated throughout his body and as he saw a blinding light he smiled.


End file.
